Casey Gomez Walker has a voice seemingly created for rustic rock. The Americana of her new record, Last Missouri Exit hits a sweet spot for those who are fans of early Angel Olsen. Simple and direct, the tunes here make up an album which is one of this week's most pleasant surprises.
"Buick Door" kicks things off on an assured note, the mid-tempo ramble of the cut a very winning one, while "Nora" is a bit more lively. Elsewhere, "Hallelujah" stretches out atop a groove that's like Wilco in some ways (Jeff Tweedy's son Spencer is on this record), while "Bitter Root Lake", the lead single, is modestly complicated and reasonably catchy.
Last Missouri Exit has an appealing down-tempo charm about it. Casey Walker has a youthful energy about her vocals which gives these compositions a spark that sets them apart from others in the same genre. And this Case Oats album is fairly short, so it's really hard not to like the new spin on familiar Americana forms here.
Last Missouri Exit by Case Oats is out this week on Merge Records.
[Photo: Braeden Long]